JP4743835B2 - Optical lens coating equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical lens coating apparatus that forms a coating film by curing a coating solution applied on a lens surface by irradiation with ultraviolet rays.

  In the production of optical lenses, particularly spectacle lenses, in order to improve the light shielding properties, antiglare properties, dimming properties, scratch resistance, etc., a coating film made of a material according to the purpose is formed on the surface of the spectacle lenses. (For example, refer nonpatent literature 1, patent documents 1 and 2).

  The lens coating apparatus described in Patent Document 1 automatically performs a series of steps in which a coating solution is applied to a lens surface and the coating solution is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays. When the coating solution is cured, the air in the curing station is replaced with nitrogen.

  The coating apparatus described in Patent Document 2 is a coating apparatus that forms a coating layer made of a cured material of a coating material by irradiating a photocurable coating agent applied to the surface of a lens with ultraviolet rays and curing it. Even if the thickness of the cured coating agent layer is large, it is intended to cure it uniformly and uniformly. For this reason, in addition to the photopolymerization chamber in which photopolymerization is performed, a preliminary polymerization chamber is provided as a front chamber of the polymerization chamber, and both chambers are sufficiently replaced with an inert gas, and a photocurable coating agent is applied. After the lens is held in the polymerization preparatory chamber, it is polymerized by moving to the photopolymerization chamber and irradiating with ultraviolet rays. The reason why the polymerization chamber and the spare chamber are provided is to reduce the time required for nitrogen substitution and to obtain a uniform film thickness, thereby preventing uneven color at the time of color development and deterioration of optical characteristics of the lens.

  As a material for the coating film formed on the spectacle lens, an ultraviolet (hereinafter referred to as UV) curable resin to which a photopolymerization initiator is added is usually used. As the photopolymerization initiator, a mixture in which two types of UV polymerization initiators that contribute to internal curing and surface curing are mixed is used. As the internal curing UV polymerization initiator, bisacylphosphine oxide (BAPO) or bis (2,6-dimethoxybenzoyl) -2,4,4-trimethyl-pentylphosphine oxide is generally used. As the UV polymerization initiator, 1-hydroxy-cyclohexyl-phenyl-ketone is used (for example, see Patent Document 1). BAPO can enhance the photosensitivity on the long wavelength side and promote the curing of the deep part (inside the film). Especially for thick film and low light-transmitting material systems (for example, pigments and ink coatings). It is a very effective polymerization initiator.

“Glasses” Medical Sakai Publishing, May 22, 1986, pages 81-83 JP 2000-334369 A JP 2004-290857 A

  Normally, when a light control film (photochromocoat film) that adjusts the amount of transmitted light according to the ambient brightness is formed on a spectacle lens, a UV curable light control in which a UV polymerization initiator is mixed into the coated surface of the spectacle lens The coating solution is applied and cured by irradiating UV. During UV irradiation, a UV filter is used to transmit and block a specific range of wavelengths. For example, a UV filter that blocks light having a short wavelength of about 320 to 350 nm or less and transmits light having a longer wavelength than that is used.

  However, in the case of a light-control coating film, the film thickness is 5 μm, preferably 30 μm or more relative to the film thickness (usually about 1 μm) of other coating films such as light-shielding property, anti-glare property, and scratch resistance. If the surface hardening progresses excessively, the reaction probability between radical reaction sites in the internal photochromic layer decreases or UV on the long wavelength side does not reach the inside of the photochromic layer. It takes a long time to reduce productivity. Regarding such conventional problems, none of the coating apparatuses described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 takes any measures.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described conventional problems, and the object of the present invention is to use a plurality of types of optical filters so that the coating solution can be cured in a short time and produced. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical lens coating apparatus capable of improving the properties.

To achieve the above object, the housing first invention, in the coating apparatus of the optical lens is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet light emitted from the light source to the coating solution applied to the coated surface of the optical lens, for accommodating the light source And a transparent plate provided on the lower surface of the housing, a filter switching mechanism disposed between the light source and the transparent plate, and an optical lens coated with a coating solution stored in a storage unit opened upward. A lens rack that conveys from the application position to an ultraviolet light receiving position below the housing; a rack lifting and lowering means that closes the storage portion by raising the lens rack and contacting the transparent plate; and the lens the air inside the rack and a nitrogen substitution means for nitrogen substitution, the filter switching mechanism, ultraviolet rays emitted from the light source At least first and second optical filters that transmit wavelengths in different specific ranges, and filter switching means for selectively interposing the first and second optical filters between the light source and the optical lens; It is composed of

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the first optical filter has a cutoff wavelength longer than the cutoff wavelength of the second optical filter, and the filter switching means causes the first optical switch to wait until a predetermined time elapses after the coating solution is cured. The optical filter is interposed between the light source and the optical lens, and the second optical filter is interposed between the light source and the optical filter instead of the first optical filter after a predetermined time has elapsed. Is.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided irradiation intensity switching means for switching the irradiation intensity of ultraviolet rays emitted from the light source in accordance with the transmittance of the filter.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the lens rack accommodates a set of two lenses.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, the first and second optical filters are each formed long in the direction in which the two lenses are aligned, and the two lenses can be irradiated with ultraviolet rays simultaneously.
According to a sixth aspect of the invention, the first and second optical filters are arranged in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the two lenses are arranged, and the filter switching means is configured to arrange the first and second optical filters. It moves in the direction in which

In the present invention, since at least the first and second optical filters having relatively different cutoff wavelengths are provided, when the first optical filter having a relatively longer cutoff wavelength is used at the start of the curing treatment of the coating solution, , The sensitivity on the long wavelength side can be increased, and the curing of the coating solution inside the film is promoted. Thereafter, the entire film is cured by using a second optical filter having a relatively short cutoff wavelength. As a result, a uniform coating film can be formed from the inside of the film to the surface, and the curing time can be shortened, so that productivity is improved.
The irradiation intensity of ultraviolet rays varies depending on the transmittance of the filter. When the transmittance is high, the irradiation intensity is weakened. When the transmittance is low, the irradiation intensity is increased, and the coating solution is cured quickly.
In the present invention, the lens rack for housing the lens is tightly sealed to the transparent plate of the housing, and it is only necessary to replace the inside air with nitrogen, so there is no need to replace the entire housing with nitrogen, and the amount of nitrogen used can be reduced. Can be reduced.
Further, in the present invention, a set of two lenses is housed in one lens rack and transported and cured, so that productivity can be further improved.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a part of an embodiment of a coating apparatus for optical lenses according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement relationship of various devices and means in a clean room of the coating apparatus. 3 is an external perspective view of the coating apparatus, FIG. 4 is a schematic side sectional view of the coating apparatus, FIG. 5 is an external perspective view showing a spatula mechanism of the coating solution and a solution smoothing mechanism for the lens outer periphery, and FIG. FIG. 7 is an external perspective view showing a state in which the lens rack is moved to the curing unit, FIG. 8 is a plan view of the lens rack, and FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 10 is a front view of the light beam irradiation device and the filter switching mechanism, and FIG. 11 is a side view of the light beam irradiation device and the filter switching mechanism.

  1 and 2, a coating apparatus denoted as a whole by reference numeral 1 applies a UV curable dimming coating solution to a surface to be coated 2a (FIG. 5) of a pair of left and right eyeglass lenses 2 to obtain a uniform film thickness. And a device that automatically performs a series of steps of curing by irradiating UV, and includes a cubic housing 3 that is installed on the floor and is long in the front-rear direction.

  The spectacle lens 2 is a circular plastic lens in which the convex surface as the coated surface 2a is polished to an optical surface having a predetermined radius of curvature and the concave surface is unprocessed (or polished to the optical surface), and has an outer diameter. For example, there are types such as 65 mm, 70 mm, 75 mm, and 80 mm. When the spectacle lens 2 composed of a set of two lenses mounted on one spectacle frame is described separately for left eye and right eye, the subscript “L” is attached to the left eye and the right eye A subscript “R” is attached for the purpose.

  The housing 3 includes a box-shaped frame structure 4 formed by a plurality of frames, a bottom plate 5 of the frame structure 4, and a base that partitions the inside of the frame structure 4 into two upper and lower chambers 6 and 7. 8, an opaque double door 9 constituting each wall surface of the lower chamber 6, a plate 10 constituting each wall surface and ceiling surface of the upper chamber 7, and the like.

  Housed in the lower chamber 6 are a control panel 11, a nitrogen gas supply device 12, a UV controller 13, and some constituent members of the coating solution recovery device 14. The control panel 11 is used for sequence control of various conveying means, a coating device 42, a light beam irradiation device 151 and the like, which will be described later, and is connected to an external input device (not shown). As the external input device, for example, a personal computer is used, and the operation timing, operation time, etc. of various conveying means, coating device 42, light beam irradiation device 151, etc. are set according to each spectacle lens 2L, 2R, and the signal is Input to the control panel 11.

  On the other hand, the upper chamber 7 forms a clean room (hereinafter referred to as the clean room 7) whose internal pressure is slightly higher than atmospheric pressure by supplying clean air from the top to the bottom through the supply pipe 15. The various transport mechanisms, coating device 42, light beam irradiation device 151 and the like are accommodated inside. The plate 10 forming the wall surface and the ceiling surface of the clean room 7 is made of a transparent plastic plate for the wall surface and a stainless steel plate for the ceiling surface. The plastic plate 10a forming the front surface of the clean room 7 forms a door that can be freely opened and closed.

  Further, the internal structure of the clean room 7 will be described in detail. The clean room 7 is roughly divided into three regions, that is, a tray transport unit 21, a coating solution application unit 22, and a curing unit 23. The tray transport unit 21 is a part that transports the tray 24 that stores a pair of spectacle lenses 2L and 2R from the front to the rear of the apparatus, and occupies the entire length of the right side of the clean room 7 in the front-rear direction. Yes. The application unit 22 is a part for applying the coating solution to the coated surface 2 a of the spectacle lens 2, and occupies the left half of the tray transport unit 21 and the first half of the clean room 7. The curing part 23 is a part for curing the coating solution applied to the coated surface 2 a of the spectacle lens 2, and occupies a region behind the application part 22.

  The tray 24 is formed in a box shape by plastic injection molding, and has two placement portions on the upper surface on which the spectacle lenses 2L and 2R are placed with the surface to be coated 2a facing up. A barcode 25 indicating the identification number of the tray 24 is attached to the wall.

The tray transport unit 21 is provided with first transport means 30 for transporting the tray 24 from the front to the rear. The first conveying means 30 includes a belt conveyor that travels intermittently by driving a motor, the front end portion projects forward from the opening 31 provided in the front side plastic plate 10a of the clean room 7, and the rear end portion is also a clean room. 7 protrudes rearward from an opening 32 provided in the rear surface side plastic plate 10b, and when the tray 24 is placed on the upper surface of the front side protrusion, the tray 24 travels and the tray 24 is moved to the first in the clean room 7. It is configured to convey the in transfer position T _1.

The first delivery position T ₁ is a portion above the first conveying means 30 and close to the opening 31 of the front side plastic plate 10a, and the tray is located near the first delivery position T _1. A tray stopper (not shown) for locking 24 and a barcode reader 35 for optically reading the barcode 25 are arranged.

  The bar code reader 35 is attached to the center of an attachment plate 36 provided above the belt conveyor. When the barcode reader 35 reads the barcode 25, the signal is sent to a host computer (not shown). When the host computer receives the barcode signal from the barcode reader 35, the host computer provides the lens information necessary for coating such as the lens power, outer diameter, and center thickness of the spectacle lenses 2L and 2R accommodated in the tray 24. Send to external input device. The mounting of the spectacle lens 2 on the tray 24, the mounting of the tray 24 on the first conveying means 30 and the operation of attaching the barcode 25 to the tray 24 are performed by an operator.

In the application unit 22, a first lens mounting table 41 and an application device 42 for applying the coating solution 63 to the spectacle lens 2 are arranged. The first lens mounting table 41 includes two lens mounting tables on which the pair of spectacle lenses 2L and 2R are respectively mounted. The first lens mounting table 41 is placed on the left side of the _first delivery position T1 by the coating device 42. forward position, that is provided in the second transfer position T _2. The distance d ₁ between the two lens mounts 41 is set to be larger than the distance d ₂ between the two spectacle lenses 2L and 2R housed in the tray 24 (d ₁ > d ₂ ).

The eyeglass lens 2 is transported from the _first delivery position T ₁ to the second delivery position T ₂ by the second transport means 44. The second transport means 44 includes a pair of left and right clamping means 46A and 46B that reciprocate along a rail 45 provided so as to extend in the left-right direction above the front end of the clean room 7. These clamping means 46A, 46B have three openable / closable clamping pins 47 for clamping the edge surfaces (outer peripheral surfaces) of the spectacle lenses 2L, 2R, and the first delivery position T ₁ and the second delivery pin T between the transfer position T ₂ are configured to reciprocate. The pair of clamping means 46A, 46B is freely toward and away from and vertically movable is provided, usually on standby above the first transfer position T _1. Carried in the standby state, the pair of clamping means 46A, 46B are spectacle lenses 2L in the tray 24 are held at the same interval as d ₂ of 2R, the tray 24 is in the first transfer position T ₁ When it is stopped, it descends, holds the outer periphery of each of the spectacle lenses 2L and 2R, and conveys it above the second delivery position T ₂ to convey the distance d between the two lens mounting tables 41. After being widened to an interval equal to ₁ , the eyeglass lenses 2L and 2R are lowered and placed on the lens placement tables 41, and then raised again to the first delivery position T ₁ which is the original standby position. The drive is controlled so as to return to the upper side. The three clamping pins 47 of each clamping means 46A, 46B are located on the same circumference and are configured to open and close in synchronization with the radial direction.

When the eyeglass lenses 2L and 2R in the tray 24 are held and transported by the pair of sandwiching means 46A and 46B and placed on the first lens mounting table 41, the first transport means 30 is driven again. The emptied tray 24 is transported to a _seventh delivery position T ₇ described later.

  3 to 6, the coating device 42 is used for reusing the coating container 50 installed behind the first mounting table 41 and the excess coating solution 63 dropped into the coating container 50. The coating solution recovery device 14 for recovery is provided.

  As the coating solution 63, a UV curable composition for dimming containing a photopolymerization initiator is used. As the photopolymerization initiator, a mixture in which two types of UV polymerization initiators that contribute to internal curing and surface curing are mixed is used. As the internally curable UV polymerization initiator, the above-mentioned BAPO or bis (2,6-dimethoxybenzoyl) -2,4,4-trimethyl-pentylphosphine oxide is used. As the surface curable UV polymerization initiator, the aforementioned 1-hydroxy-cyclohexyl-phenyl-ketone is used.

  The application container 50 is a rectangular parallelepiped container that opens upward, and includes a pair of left and right turntables 51 on which the spectacle lenses 2L and 2R are installed, and each turntable 51 individually. Two stepping motors 56 that rotate independently are provided. Above the application container 50, a pair of left and right coating solution dropping means 52 for dropping the coating solution 63 onto the coated surface 2a of each spectacle lens 2L, 2R, and the coated surface 2a of each spectacle lens 2L, 2R. A spatula mechanism 53 for removing excess coating solution 63 accumulated on the outer peripheral edge of the lens, and a solution smoothing mechanism for the lens outer periphery that smoothes the film thickness of the coating solution 63 adhering to the edge surface 2b of each spectacle lens 2L, 2R 54 is disposed.

When the spectacle lens 2 placed thereon is vacuum-sucked, the turntable 51 rotates by driving a stepping motor 56, and uniformizes the film thickness of the coating solution 63 applied to the surface to be coated 2a by centrifugal force. The rotation speed of the turntable 51 is switched in two steps in the order of low speed (for example, 15 rpm) and high speed (for example, 54 rpm). The distance between the pair of left and right turntables 51 is equal to the distance d _{1 of} the first mounting table 41. The reason why the distance between the pair of turntables 51 is larger than the distance d ₂ between the spectacle lenses 2 in the tray 24 is that the coating solution 63 scattered from the spectacle lenses 2L and 2R due to centrifugal force does not adhere to other adjacent spectacle lenses. It is for doing so. It should be noted that the coating solution 63 scattered from the spectacle lens 2 by centrifugal force is adjacent to another spectacle lens 2 adjacent to each opening 58 where the spectacle lenses 2L and 2R are inserted on the lower surface of the upper surface plate of the application container 50. A shield plate 59 having a frustoconical shape is attached to prevent it from adhering to the surface.

  In FIG. 5, the pair of left and right coating solution dropping means 52 includes a nozzle 60, a replaceable container 61 for storing the coating solution 63, and the nozzle 60 moves together with the container 61 in the vertical and front-back directions when the coating solution 63 is dropped. And a driving device 66 for applying a predetermined pressure to the coating solution 63 in the container 61 when the coating solution 63 is dropped, so that a predetermined amount of the coating solution 63 is applied to the coated surface 2a of the spectacle lens 2 from the nozzle 60. It is comprised so that it may drip.

  3 and 4, the drive device 66 includes a first slide plate 68 disposed on the ceiling surface of the clean room 7 by a pair of left and right guide bars 67 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction, and the slide plate 68 back and forth. A first motor 69 that moves in the direction and a ball screw 70 that transmits the rotation of the first motor 69 to the first slide plate 68 are provided. The second slide plate 71 is provided below the first slide plate 68 so as to be movable up and down, and is vertically attached to the first slide plate 68 to move the second slide plate 71 up and down. The upper and lower cylinders 72, the third slide plate 75 composed of a pair of left and right attached to the second slide plate 71 by a pair of left and right guide bars 74, and the second slide plate 71, respectively. A pair of left and right second motors 76 that individually move the third slide plates 75 up and down independently, and the rotation of the second motors 76 is transmitted to the third slide plates 75, respectively. Two ball screws 78 and the like are provided. Each coating solution dropping means 52 is attached to the front surface of each third slide plate 75.

  When dripping the coating solution 63 onto the spectacle lens 2, the coating solution dripping means 52 is arranged so that the nozzle 60 moves spirally from the outer periphery of the spectacle lens 2 toward the center by the driving device 66 as shown in FIG. Drive controlled. The coating solution 63 dropped on the coated surface 2a of the spectacle lens 2 spreads substantially uniformly over the entire coated surface 2a due to the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the turntable 51, and a part of the coating solution 63 scatters in the coating container 50. Fall into.

  As described above, when the coating solution 63 is applied to the coated surfaces 2a of the spectacle lenses 2L and 2R by the spin coat method by the coating device 42, the coating solution 63 is formed into a film by surface tension at the outer peripheral edge of the coated surface 2a. Thicken up and swell. The coating solution 63 having a thick film at the outer peripheral edge may be wrinkled when cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays in the subsequent curing process. For this reason, the spatula mechanism 53 is placed in the vicinity of each coating solution dropping means 52 in order to smooth the coating solution 63 on the outer peripheral edge of the coated surface 2a of each spectacle lens 2L, 2R and remove the excess coating solution 63. It is attached to the third slide plate 75 so as to be positioned.

  In FIG. 5, the spatula mechanism 53 includes a support arm 80 attached to the third slide plate 75 and an attachment plate 82 attached to the tip of the support arm 80 so as to be positioned on one side of the nozzle 60. The holder 83 is attached to the lower end of the attachment plate 82, and the spatula plate 85 is detachably inserted and fixed in the slit 84 formed on the front end surface of the holder 83. The holder 83 is attached to the support arm 82 so as to be inclined at a required angle (for example, 45 °) in the spectacle lens 2 (2L) direction with respect to the vertical line. For this reason, the spatula plate 85 is also inclined in the same direction at the same angle as the holder 83. Further, the spatula plate 85 is inclined at a required angle (for example, 30 °) so that the rear end side is separated from the spectacle lens 2 from the front end with respect to the front-rear direction of the coating solution dropping means 52 (the directions of arrows A and B in FIG. is doing. That is, the spatula plate 85 is attached in an inclined state so as to intersect the vertical line and the horizontal line in the front-rear direction. For this reason, when the spatula mechanism 53 is used, the front end of the spatula plate 85 comes into contact with the left edge of the outer peripheral edge of the coated surface 2a of the spectacle lens 2L, and accumulates over the entire outer peripheral edge of the coated surface 2a by the rotation of the spectacle lens 2L. The excess coating solution 63 is scraped off. The spatula mechanism 53 stands by behind the spectacle lens 2L when not in use (when the coating solution is not dripped), and the first slide plate 75 moves forward when in use (after the coating solution is dropped). To move to the left side of the spectacle lens 2L, and the spatula plate 85 is brought into contact with the outer peripheral edge of the surface to be coated 2a. 5 shows the spatula mechanism 53 of the left-eye spectacle lens 2L, the spatula mechanism 53 of the right-eye spectacle lens 2R also has the same structure, and the description thereof is omitted.

  Similarly, in FIG. 5, the lens outer periphery solution smoothing mechanism 54 includes a coating solution 63 attached to the edge surface 2 b of the spectacle lens 2 </ b> L (the lens outer periphery solution smoothing mechanism 54 of the right spectacle lens 2 </ b> R is the same). In order to smooth the film thickness, a holding mechanism 91 that is operated by driving of the driving device 90 and a pair of coating solution removing members 92 are provided. The holding mechanism 91 is composed of an expandable / contractible panda graph mechanism, and is normally held in a shortened state by a tension coil spring 93. When the actuator 91 is actuated and extended against the tension coil spring 93 by operation, The pair of coating solution removing members 92 are configured to be pressed against the edge surface 2b of the spectacle lens 2L with a predetermined pressure. An air cylinder is used as the driving device 90.

  The coating solution removing member 92 is formed in a cylindrical shape by a foamed resin (sponge) having excellent adsorptivity, and is perpendicular to the surface of the mounting plate 94 provided at the front end of the panda graph mechanism 91 at a predetermined interval in the front-rear direction. By being pressed against the edge surface 2b of the spectacle lens 2L, the coating solution 63 adhering to the edge surface 2b is thinly stretched to obtain a uniform film thickness. The spatula mechanism 53 and the lens outer periphery solution smoothing mechanism 54 are configured to operate substantially simultaneously after the coating solution 63 is dropped by the coating solution dropping means 52.

  In FIG. 6, excess coating solution 63 scattered by the centrifugal force from the coated surface 2 a of the spectacle lens 2 or removed by the spatula mechanism 53 is collected by the coating solution collecting device 14 when accumulated in the coating container 50. And reused. The coating solution recovery apparatus 14 includes a suction pump 100 and a plurality of recovery containers 101 for recovering the coating solution 63. These recovery containers 101 are connected in series by a pipe 102, and one end thereof is connected to the suction pump 100. The other end side is bifurcated and inserted into the coating container 50, and the opening is positioned directly below each spatula mechanism 53. The suction pump 100 is housed in a chamber 6 below the housing 3.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, a third conveying means 110 that reciprocates between the second, third, and fourth delivery positions T ₂ , T ₃ , T ₄ is provided above the application unit 22. ing. The third delivery position T ₃ is a position where the coating device 42 is disposed. The fourth delivery position T ₄ is a position behind the third delivery position T _{3 and} a position where the empty lens rack 120 is waiting.

As shown in FIG. 1, the third transport unit 110 is omitted from the illustration of moving the slider 112 back and forth along a horizontal rail 111 provided on the left inner wall of the clean room 7 and the slider 112. A motor, a horizontal mounting plate 113 provided on the slider 112 so as to be movable up and down, a driving device (not shown) for moving the mounting plate 113 up and down, and a pair of left and right clamps mounted on the lower surface of the mounting plate 113 It comprises means 114A, 114B, etc. The third transport unit 110 as described above transports the spectacle lenses 2L and 2R placed on the first placement table 41 by holding the pair of sandwiching units 114A and 114B above the coating device 42. After placing the coating solution 63 on the respective turntables 51 in the coating container 50 and dropping the coating solution 63 onto the respective spectacle lenses 2L and 2R, the spectacle lenses 2L and 2R on each turntable 51 are held again. transported to the fourth transfer position T _4, is driven and controlled to accommodate respectively said fourth empty lens rack 120 waiting in the transfer position T _4.

Each of the clamping means 114A, 114B has four openable / closable clamping pins 116 that clamp the edge surfaces 2b of the spectacle lenses 2L, 2R, and the second delivery position T ₂ to the fourth delivery position T. It is configured to reciprocate between the _four . The four sandwiching pins 116 are provided on the left and right, respectively, two front and rear, and two sandwiching pins opposed to the front and rear are configured to approach and separate from each other.

The pair of clamping means 114A, 114B are typically stands by in the second position above the transfer position T _2, spectacle lenses 2L each first mounting platform 41, the 2R is placed, the lenses respectively mounted on the turntable on 51 in the third transfer position T ₃ coating vessel 50 and conveyed to holding the, after the application of the coating solution 63 is completed, the spectacle lens on the turntable 51 2L , 2R is again gripped and taken out from the application container 50, and driven and controlled so as to be conveyed to the _fourth delivery position T4. The interval between the pair of clamping means 114A and 114B is set to be the same as the interval d _{1 of} the first mounting table 41. The upper surface opening of the storage portion for storing the spectacle lenses 2L and 2R of the application container 50 has the holding pin 116 maximized in order to facilitate the storage and removal of the spectacle lens 2 by the third transport means 110. It is formed in a circle larger than the circle circumscribing these pins in the open state.

  7 to 9, the lens rack 120 is fixed to receive a base plate 121 and two cases that are individually placed on the base plate 121 and store the spectacle lenses 2L and 2R, that is, the left spectacle lens 2L. A case 122A, a movable case 122B which is movably disposed in a direction approaching and separating from the right side of the fixed case 122A, and houses the right-eye spectacle lens 2R; and a tension coil which urges the movable case 122B in the direction of the fixed case 122A It consists of a spring 123.

The base plate 121 includes an upper plate 121A and a lower plate 121B, and the upper plate 121A is installed on the lower plate 121B so as to be movable up and down. The lower plate 121B is slidably supported by a pair of guide bars 124 extending parallel to the longitudinal direction, the fourth conveying means 147 the fourth transfer position T ₄ (FIG. 2) of the And the curing unit 23 and the fifth delivery position T ₅ are configured to reciprocate. For example, a belt driven by a motor is used as the fourth transport unit 147 that transports the lens rack 120.

  The fixed case 122A is fixed to the upper left end portion of the upper plate 121A, and has a storage portion 125 opened upward for storing the spectacle lens 2L. The storage part 125 includes a hole part 125A for storing the spectacle lens 2L, and four pin groove parts 125B that are long in the front-rear direction and each end communicates with the hole part 125A. The hole 125A is formed in a tapered shape that increases in diameter upward so as to facilitate insertion and removal of the spectacle lens 2. Further, the tapered hole 125A facilitates the irradiation of UV to the outer peripheral edge of the spectacle lens 2L when the coating solution 63 is cured by the light beam irradiation device 151 described later. The pin groove portion 125B is a groove for enabling the eyeglass lens 2L to be housed in the housing portion 125 by the sandwiching pin 116 of the sandwiching means 114A of the third transport unit 110, and the front side of the hole portion 125A. Two each are formed on the rear side so as to face each other. Further, these pin groove portions 125B enable the eyeglass lens 2L to be taken out by a fifth conveying means 181 described later. Furthermore, a pair of left and right step portions 126 that support both left and right end portions of the outer peripheral edge portion of the spectacle lens 2L are provided on the inner wall of the storage portion 125.

  The fixed case 122A includes an O-ring 128, an exhaust passage 129, and an inert gas supply passage 130 for exhausting air in the storage portion 125 and replacing it with an inert gas when the coating solution 63 is cured. Is provided.

  The O-ring 128 is fitted in an annular groove 127 formed around the storage portion 125 on the upper surface of the fixed case 122A.

The exhaust passage 129 is formed within the wall thickness of the fixed case 122A, one end is opened in the inner wall of the storage portion 125, and the other end is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) via a pipe 131. Yes. The inert gas supply passage 130 is also formed within the thickness of the fixed case 122A, and one end opens at the center of the bottom surface of the storage portion 125, and the other end is connected to the nitrogen gas supply device (nitrogen by the pipe 132). Nitrogen gas (N ₂ ), which is an inert gas, is supplied to the storage unit 125, connected to the replacement means) 12 (FIG. 1). Further, a shielding plate 133 for preventing the spectacle lens 2L from being lifted by nitrogen gas is provided in the center of the storage portion 125 and immediately below the spectacle lens 2L.

  The movable case 122B is symmetrical to the fixed case 122A and has a slightly different appearance, but the internal structure is exactly the same. Therefore, the movable case 122B is formed with a storage portion 134 that opens upward and stores the spectacle lens 2R, an exhaust passage 135 and an inert gas supply passage 136, and an annular groove 137 that surrounds the storage portion 134 on the upper surface. Is formed. An O-ring 138 is loaded in the annular groove 137.

  The storage portion 134 includes a tapered hole portion 134A whose diameter is increased upward, and four pin groove portions 134B each having one end communicating with the hole portion 134A. A shielding plate 140 is provided. The pin groove portion 134B enables the eyeglass lens 2R to be stored in the storage portion 134 by the holding pin 116 provided in the holding device 114B of the third transport unit 110.

The fixed case 122A and the movable case 122B are configured such that the interval between the storage portions 125 and 134 is set by the interval setting means 144 (FIG. 7) when the lens rack 120 is waiting at the _fourth delivery position T4. Widely set. In other words, the first lens mounting table 41 is held at a maximum distance so as to be equal to the interval d ₁ . The interval setting means 144, the fourth consists transfer position T ₄ of the device fixing part side horizontally provided has been air cylinder, usually fixed casing 122A of plate 143 are projected to the movable casing 122B by moving rod 146 Is biased in a direction away from the tension coil spring 123. The air cylinder 145 switches to the OFF state immediately before the lens rack 120 moves from the fourth delivery position T ₄ toward the curing unit 23 to retract the rod 146 and release the pressing state of the plate 143. For this reason, the movable case 122B moves to the left by the spring force of the tension coil spring 123 and comes into contact with the fixed case 122A, whereby the distance between the centers of the storage portions 125, 134 of both cases 122A, 122B is narrowed. . The interval between the centers of the storage portions 125 and 134 is equal to the interval d ₂ between the spectacle lenses 2L and 2R in the tray 24.

  The curing unit 23 is provided with a rack raising / lowering means 150 for raising and lowering the lens rack 120 together with the upper plate 121A, and a light beam irradiation device 151 is further provided thereabove. The rack lifting / lowering means 150 is composed of a pair of left and right air cylinders, and is configured to drive when the lens rack 120 stops at the curing portion 23 to push up the upper plate 121A to the lower surface height of the light beam irradiation device 151.

  The light beam irradiation device 151 includes a sealed housing 152, a UV lamp 153 as a light source disposed horizontally in the housing 152, and irradiation intensity switching for switching the irradiation intensity of UV emitted from the UV lamp 153. Means (not shown) are provided. Cooling air 154 is supplied into the housing 152 to prevent the temperature of the UV lamp 153 from increasing when the coating solution 63 is cured. Therefore, one end of the cooling air pipe 155 and the exhaust pipe 156 is connected to the upper surface of the housing 152. The other end of the exhaust pipe 156 is connected to a sirocco fan 157 (FIG. 1). As the UV lamp 153, a mercury lamp, a metal halide lamp, or the like is used, and emits UV having a wavelength range of, for example, 350 nm to 400 nm. In general, 365 nm UV is a typical wavelength necessary for surface hardening of the coating solution 63.

  The bottom opening of the housing 152 is sealed with a transparent plate 160. When the lens rack 120 is pushed up to the ultraviolet light receiving position by the air cylinder 150 when the coating solution 63 is cured, the fixed case 122A and the movable case 122B are placed on the lower surface of the transparent plate 160 via O-rings 128 and 138. Each is pressed, whereby the storage portions 125 and 134 of the cases 122A and 122B are closed. In each case 122A, 122B, when the storage portions 125, 134 are closed by the transparent plate 160, the air inside is replaced with nitrogen gas, and then the UV emitted from the UV lamp 153 is transferred to each optical lens 2L, By irradiating 2R, the coating solution 63 is cured. The reason for replacing the air in the lens rack 120 with nitrogen gas is to prevent the coating solution 63 from being cured by reacting with oxygen in the air.

  A shutter mechanism 161 and a filter switching mechanism 162 are further provided inside the housing 152.

  The shutter mechanism 161 is disposed between the UV lamp 153 and the filter switching mechanism 162. Normally, the shutter mechanism 161 blocks the UV emitted from the UV lamp 153 by being kept closed, and the coating solution 63 is cured. Configured to open.

  7, 10, and 11, the filter switching mechanism 162 is disposed between the shutter mechanism 161 and the transparent plate 160, and has different wavelengths within a specific range of UV emitted from the UV lamp 153. Filter switching means for selectively interposing the first and second optical filters 164 and 165 between the UV lamp 153 and the optical lens 2. 166.

  As the first optical filter 164, a UV filter that blocks UV having a wavelength of about 370 to 390 nm is used. As the second optical filter 165, a UV filter that blocks UV having a wavelength of about 350 nm or less is preferably used. As shown in FIG. 7, the first optical filter 164 and the second optical filter 165 are arranged in the same size and on the same plane, and the long sides facing each other are joined to each other. A flat plate is formed and is movably held by a pair of left and right guide shafts 168A and 168B via a plurality of slide blocks 169. Both end portions of each guide shaft 168A, 168B are supported by a pair of shaft support members 171, 172. A total of four slide blocks 169 are used, two for each of the filters 164 and 165, and are fixed to both ends of the upper surface of each of the filters 164 and 165, respectively.

  The filter switching means 166 includes an air cylinder (hereinafter referred to as an air cylinder) disposed in parallel with the side portion of one guide bar 168A, and the movable rod 173 has a distal end of the four slide blocks 169. Are connected together (169a). The moving stroke of the movable rod 173 is substantially equal to the short side length of the first and second optical filters 164 and 165. When the air cylinder 166 is not driven, the first optical filter 164 is positioned directly below the UV lamp 153, and the second optical filter 165 is waiting on the rear side from directly below the UV lamp 153. The first optical filter 164 is positioned directly below the UV lamp 153 until a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of curing of the coating solution 63 by the light irradiation device 151, and when the predetermined time has elapsed, the air cylinder 166 is driven forward. Is configured to move. The second optical filter 165 moves forward by the forward movement of the first optical filter 165 and is interposed between the optical lens 2 and the UV lamp 153 (FIG. 11).

  As described above, when the coating solution 63 containing the internal curable and surface curable photopolymerization initiators is cured by the light irradiation device 151, the first optical filter 164 having a long cutoff wavelength is used at the start of the processing. If the sensitivity on the long wavelength side is increased by interposing between the UV lamp 153 and the optical lenses 2L and 2R, curing of the film inner side can be promoted before the surface side of the coating solution 63 is cured. Then, when the inside of the film is cured after a lapse of a certain time from the start of processing, the first optical filter 164 is moved forward and moved from the lower side of the UV lamp 153 to the retracted position, and instead the second optical filter 165 having a short cutoff wavelength. Is interposed between the UV lamp 153 and the optical lenses 2L and 2R. Since the second optical filter 165 has a cut-off wavelength shorter than that of the first optical filter 164, curing of the inside of the film proceeds with UV on the long wavelength side, and at the same time, the surface side is cured with UV on the short wavelength side. Therefore, the coating solution 63 can be uniformly cured from the inner side to the surface side. Further, since the inside of the film is cured at the start of the treatment, there is no possibility that the surface side is excessively cured and the inside of the film is not cured, and the curing treatment time can be shortened.

  When the coating solution 63 is cured, when the first and second optical filters 164 and 165 are switched, the irradiation intensity switching means switches the UV irradiation intensity according to the transmittance of the optical filter. That is, the irradiation intensity of ultraviolet rays is weakened when the transmittance of the filter is high, and is increased when the transmittance is low, and thereby the coating solution 63 is cured rapidly. The irradiation intensity can be switched by switching the voltage applied to the UV lamp 153.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 again, the fourth transport means 147 moves the lens rack 120 from the curing unit 23 to the fifth delivery position T _{5 when} the curing process of the coating solution 63 by the light irradiation device 151 is completed. Transport to. A sixth delivery position T ₆ is provided behind the fifth transport position T ₅ . At the sixth delivery position T ₆ , a second mounting table 180 consisting of a pair of left and right is provided. The second mounting table 180 has the same structure as the first mounting table 41. A fifth transport unit 181 is provided in the upper space between the fifth delivery position T ₅ and the sixth delivery position T ₆ . The fifth transport means 181 conveys the fifth transfer position T ₅ is carried to the spectacle lens from the lens rack 120 within which stopped 2L, 2R to the sixth transfer position T ₆ of the removed respectively, the second 2, each having a structure similar to that of the third transport unit 110, but different in that it is driven by a cylinder. Each spectacle lenses 2L, a pair of clamping means for clamping the 2R 182A, interval 182B have also different in that it is a spectacle lens 2L, set equal to the distance d ₂ of 2R in the tray 24.

The second table 180 each spectacle lenses placed on 2L, 2R is transported and held by the sixth conveying means 190 of the seventh transfer position T _7, transfer position T ₇ of the seventh Is stored in an empty tray 24 that is waiting. The seventh delivery position T ₇ is right next to the sixth delivery position T ₆ and is above the first transport means 30. The transfer position T ₇ of the seventh tray stoppers are provided which is not shown to stop an empty tray 24.

The sixth transport means 190 of the sixth transfer position T ₆ and the seventh spectacle lenses 2L and reciprocates between the transfer position T ₇ of which carry the 2R, the second conveying means 44 It is comprised substantially the same. For this reason, the description about the detail is abbreviate | omitted. The first conveying means 30 is driven when the spectacle lenses 2L and 2R are stored in the empty tray 24 waiting at the _seventh delivery position T7, and the tray 24 is moved to the rear rear side of the clean room 7. Transport.

  As described above, the coating apparatus 1 according to the present invention includes the first optical filter 164 having a long cutoff wavelength and the second optical filter 165 having a short cutoff wavelength. Since the coating solution 63 is irradiated with the UV emitted from the lamp 153 via the first optical filter 164, the inner side of the film can be cured before the surface side is cured by the UV on the long wavelength side. Further, after a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the curing process, the first and second optical filters 164 and 165 are switched, and the coating solution 63 is irradiated with UV emitted from the UV lamp 153 via the second optical filter 165. Since it did in this way, the film | membrane inside and surface side of the coating solution 63 can be hardened simultaneously using UV of a long wavelength side and short wavelength side effectively. Therefore, UV does not reach the inside due to the curing on the surface side, and the film can be uniformly cured from the inside to the surface. Further, the curing process time can be shortened and the productivity can be improved, and it is particularly effective for the curing process of a coating solution having a thick film and low light transmissivity.

In the above-described embodiment, the example using the two optical filters 164 and 165 having different cutoff wavelengths has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and two or more types are used depending on the coating solution. The optical filter may be used.
In addition, the present invention has been described with respect to an example in which a dimming coating film is formed on the spectacle lens 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a coating film such as a light shielding property, an antiglare property, and an abrasion resistance is formed. It is also possible to apply to this.

  The present invention can be applied not only to spectacle lenses but also to optical lenses such as cameras.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a part of an embodiment of an optical lens coating apparatus according to the present invention in a cutaway manner. It is a schematic plan view which shows the arrangement | positioning relationship of the various apparatuses in a clean room of the coating apparatus, a means, etc. It is an external appearance perspective view of a coating device. It is a schematic sectional side view of the coating device. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the spatula mechanism of a coating solution, and the solution smoothing mechanism for lens outer periphery. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the collection | recovery apparatus of a coating solution. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the state which moved the lens rack to the hardening part. It is a top view of a lens rack. It is IX-IX sectional drawing of FIG. It is a front view of a light beam irradiation apparatus and a filter switching mechanism. It is a side view of the same light irradiation apparatus and a filter switching mechanism.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Coating apparatus, 2 ... Eyeglass lens, 3 ... Housing | casing, 7 ... Clean room, 12 ... Nitrogen gas supply apparatus, 22 ... Application | coating part, 23 ... Curing part, 42 ... Coating apparatus, 52 ... Coating solution dripping means, 63 ... Coating solution, 120 ... lens rack, 150 ... air cylinder, 151 ... light irradiation device, 152 ... housing, 153 ... UV lamp, 160 ... transparent plate, 161 ... shutter mechanism, 162 ... filter switching mechanism, 164 ... first optical Filter, 165... Second optical filter, 166.

Claims (6)

In an optical lens coating apparatus that cures a coating solution applied to a surface to be coated of an optical lens by irradiating it with ultraviolet rays emitted from a light source,
A housing for housing the light source;
A transparent plate provided on the lower surface of the housing;
A filter switching mechanism disposed between the light source and the transparent plate ;
A lens rack that accommodates an optical lens coated with a coating solution in a storage unit that is open upward and conveys the optical lens from an application position to a UV light receiving position below the housing;
Rack lifting and lowering means for closing the storage portion by raising the lens rack and contacting the transparent plate;
Nitrogen replacement means for replacing the air in the lens rack with nitrogen ,
The filter switching mechanism, at least first and second optical filters that transmit wavelengths in different specific ranges among the ultraviolet rays emitted from the light source;
An optical lens coating apparatus comprising: a filter switching means for selectively interposing the first and second optical filters between the light source and the optical lens. The cutoff wavelength of the first optical filter is longer than the cutoff wavelength of the second optical filter;
The first optical filter is interposed between the light source and the optical lens by the filter switching means until a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of curing of the coating solution, and after the predetermined time has elapsed, 2. The optical lens coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second optical filter is interposed between the light source and the optical filter instead. 3. The optical lens coating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising irradiation intensity switching means for switching the irradiation intensity of ultraviolet rays emitted from the light source in accordance with the transmittance of the filter. The optical lens coating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lens rack accommodates a set of two lenses. 5. The optical lens according to claim 4, wherein each of the first and second optical filters is formed to be long in a direction in which two lenses are arranged, and can irradiate the two lenses with ultraviolet rays simultaneously. Coating equipment. The first and second optical filters are arranged in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the two lenses are arranged,
6. The optical lens coating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the filter switching means moves the first and second optical filters in a direction in which they are arranged.

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